Run a network report automation job

Learning to run a job in automation controller

Lab 2 - Running the Network Automation - Report job

This challenge will walk you through using Automation controller to execute the Network Automation - Report you created on the 1st challenge.

Ansible Collections

Ansible provides automation content in the form of collections. An Ansible Collection contains modules, plugins and roles that a network engineer can use to build and customize their automation.

If you need a quick primer on what an Ansible Collection is, please refer to this YouTube Video here.

The Cisco IOS collection

For this demonstration we are going to automate against a Cisco IOS-XE router. We need to use the Cisco IOS collection.

The FQCN (or fully qualified collection name) to use a module is: namespace.collection.module

So for our example it is: cisco.ios.<module name>

The task is this simple:

- name: retrieve cisco facts
  cisco.ios.facts:
    gather_subset: config
    gather_network_resources: ospf

Network automation begins and ends with facts

Each network resource modules can retrieve facts about that particular resource. For example if you want to retrieve VLAN information you can return a YAML or JSON data structure from Arista, Cisco or Juniper network devices.

Data output is flexible

Ansible Automation Platform can create customized network reports with facts.

Lets get started

That is the end of of your lab briefing!

For this exercise we are going to run the automation job on Automation controller

Login to automation controller

To login to automation controller select the Automation controller WebUI tab at the top of your screen.

Login with the following credentials:

username

admin

password

ansible123!

Step 1 - Execute Network Automation - Network Report Job Template

In the left navigation menu, expand Automation Execution and then click on Templates.
To execute the Network Automation - Report Job Template click the rocket button which incidates the launch job button:

Step 2 - Open Network Report

After the Job run and completes successfully, click the Dynamic Report tab at the top.

To refresh click the button

Step 3 - Click around the Dynamic Report

This is a virtual Cisco IOS router so it only has a single physical interface on it. Click around the network resources to expand the resource boxes and show more information.

This report is created using very simple Jinja2 templates in conjunction with the jQuery UI Accordion tool.

Step 4 - Optional

Go to the Terminal tab and login to the cisco device.
```
ssh cisco
```
Configure something (your choice) and re-run the report.

For example:
```
conf t
```
```
router ospf 1
```
```
router-id 1.2.3.4
```
```
end
```
```
write memory
```
```
exit
```

Step 5 - Verify

Click the End button below to verify the job executed.